Useless Tribute

"The world is vast, and there are families that put the Mo Estate to shame, making us look like paupers," Mo Seris said. "In Black Mountain City alone, there are immortals who could level our whole pitiful town with a mere finger."

As Mo Seris spoke, he saw reverence in the guide's eyes. He felt some satisfaction, but he quickly hid it behind a cold expression. 

It seemed the Mo Estate still had some purchase on the hearts of Song people. It was just the Third Manager that was rebellious.

The guide was still gesturing subserviently. Mo Seris followed the outstretched hand, and took the stone path to the road. While he walked down the steps, he made sure not to jostle the cradle. 

He was reminded of the infant's existence. 

Is the little bastard still kicking?

Mo Seris peered into the cradle, and saw the blankets shifting. No doubt the infant was writhing underneath. He did not know if his eyes were playing tricks on him, but it seemed that it was even a little bit more active than before.

He could not help but feel optimistic. 

Perhaps the testing in the Mo Family would really uncover a hidden treasure!

The two retainers that were assigned to him were waiting at the carriage. Mo Seris felt a flicker of annoyance. They had walked ahead instead of stopping with him at the doorstep.

However, he suppressed his dissatisfaction. The retainers did not actually answer to him, but to the Lord Steward above them both, so there was no point in finding fault.

As he reached the carriage, one of the retainers opened the side door. Mo Seris took a quick glance at the Demonbeast horses, before stepping through into the cabin. He positioned the cradle carefully while he maneuvered his body, making sure not to knock it against the walls.

A thought crossed his mind.

Demonbeast horses were significantly stronger than men, by a factor of five or six, and yet they were still pulling his carriage.

This demonstrated that status would always be superior to strength.

A strong slave was still just a slave, and even a weak master could order him around.

Mo Seris sat down and reclined in the comfortable cabin seat, full of assurance. He wondered how much of the Song Manor could be bought by just the cushioning of his carriage alone.

A handful of servants, at least.

Outside, the retainer watched Mo Seris situate himself. Seeing that he had taken his seat, the retainer carefully closed the carriage door and joined the other at the head of the carriage, in the exposed box.

The retainer at the reins did not spur the Demonbeast horses forward. He still needed to wait for the Song guide. This gave Mo Seris a moment of repose in the cabin.

When the doors were closed, the cabin was shut off from the rest of the world. All of the sound from the Song Manor disappeared, giving a peaceful feeling and a sense of security. In the silence, the small noises from Naro's movements in his cradle became audible, drawing more attention from the representative. 

The little baby was still moving so frantically. Mo Seris wondered what the true reason behind the behavior was. 

Could a child really just have an excess of energy and no other extraordinary qualities?

That couldn't be possible!

Of all the reasons he could think of, Mo Seris could never have guessed the truth behind the strange behavior.

That an adult from a different world had reincarnated into an infant's body and had been given a system that rewarded such behavior…it simply did not occur to Mo Seris.

The carriage lurched forward and began moving. However, the pace was unusually slow and plodding.

Mo Seris pulled up the window shutter and looked out.

On the side of the road before him, he saw a line of Song people bowing their heads. He slid across the cabin seat and pulled up the opposing shutter. As expected, there was also a line forming on the other side of the road.

Intuitively, he knew that this was a parting 'gift' being given by the Song guide, but it was not one that he wanted. It would only delay the time it took to leave the manor. 

Mo Seris scoffed. He even considered closing the windows in a show of his dissatisfaction. In the end, he left them open while he stared out with a scowl, but his mood was far from pleasant.

The Mo Family did not need such a useless tribute.